


Revealing Too Much

by imtelevisionsmoirarose



Series: Coming Together [1]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxious David Rose, Blow Jobs, Comfort/Angst, David Rose Deserves Nice Things, Dirty Talk, Dry Humping, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV David Rose, Patrick Brewer is a Button, Patrick wants to know David, Porn with Feelings, Slow Burn, Tenderness, tw: mention of domestic violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:28:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29134809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imtelevisionsmoirarose/pseuds/imtelevisionsmoirarose
Summary: David Rose spends the night at Ray's between Dead Guy in Room 4 and Pregnancy Test and has hesitations about actual intimacy. The sex part he can handle.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: Coming Together [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138025
Comments: 95
Kudos: 328





	Revealing Too Much

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Brief mention of domestic violence.
> 
> This is my first SC fanfic and my first fic I've ever actually posted anywhere. I usually chicken out and never post after things are written, but this has been circling in my head for weeks and I'm just so obsessed with DxP. I literally thought of the first sentences falling asleep a couple weeks ago and I've been writing it since. It was entirely written in the Notes app so I could switch between my phone and my computer whenever I felt the urge. The title comes from a song by The Honorary Title from the album Anything Else But the Truth—it's beautiful and sexy and sad and I highly recommend it. I'm thinking I'll end up continuing this but I'm not sure yet. Anyways I'm really nervous about posting this so thanks for reading!
> 
> also i'm on tumblr: im-televisions-moira-rose.tumblr.com
> 
> come say hi!
> 
> edit: I'm going to make this a series. doesn't feel right as something chronological, necessarily.

David glances across the store to where Patrick is wrapping up a transaction with a couple of teenage girls who can’t seem to stop giggling. When their eyes meet over the register, Patrick gives his sweet upside-down smile and a zing of electricity shoots through his body. Normally, such a pleasant, benign expression wouldn’t have that effect on him, but David’s thinking about last night.

* * *

Last night, after they made dinner at Ray’s (the real deal carbonara with pancetta and Parmesan and egg), Patrick pinned David against the inside of his bedroom door, bodies flush, his torso heavy and warm. They were both slightly wine-drunk, and even though Patrick had clearly asked to take it slow, he was definitely not following his own instructions.

“Are we sure this is the best idea when Ray is puttering around downstairs?” David asked, an eyebrow cocked, trying to cut through the tension.

Patrick politely and thoroughly ignored David’s cheeky warning. “Is this okay?” He murmured, tonguing at the soft skin underneath David’s right ear. David didn’t answer right away because the answer was “of course” and “god fucking damnit” and “please never stop doing that” and the last thing he wanted was to spook the rabbit. Instead he focused on the sensation of Patrick’s heavy finger tips raking their way under his sweater, gripping his hips with a firmness that was unmistakeable, but also with an urgency that was uncharacteristic.

He shakily exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and allowed his own hands to snake up Patrick’s back, feeling the heat of his skin and tracing the curve of his spine through the crisp fabric of his button down. The struggle between the respect for Patrick’s wishes and the seriously aching need to completely ruin and devour the buttoned up man currently tracing the edge of his jaw with his tongue was crippling.

Before he could make the decision, Patrick made his way back to David’s mouth, sealing it in a slow, burning kiss. David could barely think as Patrick’s tongue traced the inside of his lower lip and from miles away he heard himself let out a moan. Patrick tasted like cabernet and it made his head spin. 2 minutes or 2 hours later, they broke apart and Patrick pulled back to look at him, running his hands up his body, coming to rest on both sides of his head, palms flat against the door that David really hoped was solid wood.

“David, I asked you a question.” He said huskily, his face solemn, but his darkened eyes dancing in the way that drove David wild.

“Mhm. Yeah. Yes you did.” David nodded, avoiding the fact that Patrick’s unwavering gaze was fixed solidly on his lips, and distractedly rubbed up and down Patrick’s back. He concentrated on the friction between his hands and that fucking shirt.

“Patrick—,“ he began. Patrick leaned in closer, placing a kiss on the edge of his mouth. “Aren’t we supposed to be “taking it slow”?”

Patrick let out a small, strangled chuckle and tore his eyes away from David’s mouth to meet his gaze again.

“I may have jumped the gun there.”

The heat in David’s belly continued to grow as he crookedly chewed the inside of his lip.

“Okay. Jumped the gun as in ‘I don’t actually want to take it slow’ or jumped the gun as in ‘I am actively trying to crawl inside your skin while my roommate is 100 feet away, give or take’?”

Patrick laughed again.

“I don’t know. Both?”

David could die. Those big, owlish eyes blinking up at him, looking for approval, looking for help–all he wanted to do was fill that need. Patrick deserved that. He deserved more than David.

“I am aware that I am incredibly irresistible, but this is new for you. I don’t want you to jump in to anything you’re not ready for.”

David moved his hands from Patrick’s strong back to his face, absentmindedly thumbing his lower lip gently. Patrick’s eyes darkened again, and, to David’s utter delight and indignation, he watched as a perfect pink little tongue darted out to wet his fingertip. Immediately, everything in his body caught fire.

" _What the actual fuck._ ” He breathed. Patrick was watching him with an infuriating smirk.

“David—I’m not a virgin.”

Even though it wasn’t remotely dirty, it was the dirtiest thing he’d ever heard Patrick say and it lit him up like a fucking Christmas tree. Patrick blushed—a perfect rosy pink flooding his cheeks down his neck and underneath his collar, clashing beautifully with that god forsaken oxford. David couldn’t articulate how much he wanted to see how far that flush spilled down Patrick’s strong body.

“Noted, Mr. Brewer, but I have to point out that the logistics and methods are not quite the same. Not to mention the different...hardware that’s involved..”

Patrick slowly dragged his tongue across David’s thumb again, this time pulling it further into his warm mouth and running it along the underside, teasing between David’s warm skin and the silver ring there.

“Lucky for me, the internet exists, and I’m nothing if I’m not a thorough researcher, David.”

David closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath, trying to recenter himself. The thought of Patrick researching the ins and outs of gay sex was both too adorable and too hot to bear. David couldn’t help but be extremely turned on by Patrick’s desire to always follow through. To get the job done. Because, honestly, when in his life had his partner actually been considerate and consistent? Why was stability and work ethic suddenly the sexiest thing he could imagine? Oh my god—was he getting turned on by the human equivalent of spreadsheets?

“Patrick, what are you doing to me?”

He wanted it to come out huskier, deeper, sexier, but, instead, it came out like a pleading whine. God damnit.

“Not nearly enough.”

Patrick’s voice deepened and broke as his hands once again wandered back down to David’s hips. He leaned in to bury his reddened face in the dip of David’s collarbone and suddenly he was slowly and deliberately grinding against David, his fingers biting in to David’s flesh in the most incredible way, blunt fingernails rhythmically pulsing against his skin with every thrust. David thrilled at the sensation of Patrick hard and wanting against his upper thigh and he braced himself to meet Patrick’s movements, slotting one leg between Patrick’s knees. At that moment, as David answered back with his own rhythm, Patrick let out the most incredible, choked groan David had ever heard. He wished he could have recorded it and fallen asleep to it every night. Patrick’s breath was hot against the crook of his neck.

“David.”

Patrick’s voice sounded thick and wet and David froze, terrified. Patrick pulled his head up to meet David’s eyes and David saw their glassy fullness. He rutted against David again and David gasped as he felt his cock rub against Patrick’s.

“Don’t stop.” Patrick murmured, eyes blazing. David bit his lip, once again torn by the need to destroy him but also the unwillingness to fuck this up.

“Okay, Patrick. As much as I want to not stop, I feel like we need to address what’s happening here.”

Patrick let out another small, wet chuckle and shook his head slightly.

“What’s happening here is that this is the most I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my entire life. And it’s overwhelming and terrifying and I’ve waited 30 years so I’m wondering why I should make myself wait longer.”

His dark eyes bore holes deep into David’s soul and he moved his hips again, watching in awe as David tipped his chin slightly upwards, reveling in the sensation. He continued, cocking his head thoughtfully and wetting his lips with his perfect tongue.

“I never understood or related to the idea of not being able to control myself until I met you. I’ve been driving myself crazy, wanting this. Wanting you.”

He took a deep, shuddering breath and looked David in the eyes, squeezing his hips gently.

“David Rose, I want you.”

David held Patrick’s gaze, his small crooked smile blossoming on his face.

“I want you too, Patrick Brewer.” He said, his voice low and silky. “But we have time. We can take as long as you’d like. Waiting can be pretty fun, actually.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Patrick looked down and smiled, flushing further.

“I’m not saying we need to do everything, but I definitely want to do more than wait tonight.” Patrick’s big eyes were dark and eager. “I don’t think I can make it through another day at the store, spending all day watching you, if I can’t touch you now.”

David chewed on the inside of his lip and then nodded, resting his hands on Patrick’s broad shoulders.

“Mhm. Okay. Well. I’m going to need to not have a doorknob up my ass if we are both going to enjoy this.”

Patrick laughed and turned in a swift movement, taking David with him. David felt the edge of Patrick’s bed on the backs of his thighs moments before Patrick’s strong hands pushed him back and down, forcefully reclining him onto the surprisingly comfortable mattress. David scooted up to rest his head on a pillow that laid against the gold frame.

“I can’t say that I love the wallpaper but at least you picked a nice, neutral comforter.” David teased, eyeing the roses on the wall with distaste.

“Beggars can’t be choosers, David.” Patrick chastised as he toed off his shoes and crawled onto the bed after him, his body coming to rest between David’s legs, chin on folded hands on David’s sternum. The intimacy of the position made David squirm and he was painfully aware of the softness of his stomach that Patrick was resting on. He hadn’t ever really had the familiarity or comfort in a relationship to feel vulnerable enough to have his body pressed against someone else’s in a not overtly sexual way. They sat like that quietly for a moment, David feeling Patrick’s kind eyes on his face.

“Wearing street shoes on a bed is _incorrect_.” David commented haughtily, avoiding Patrick’s earnest gaze and trying to sit up as if to remove his sneakers. Patrick grinned and placed a hand on his upper chest to hold him back. David held his breath under Patrick’s weight.

“Stop. Let me.”

David watched with his heart in his throat as Patrick pushed up and knelt between his legs, reaching back to untie his Ramones. He slowly slipped them off David’s feet and gently leaned over to set them by the bed.

“Thank you.” David said quietly, trying not to let himself get choked up. The tenderness of that simple gesture eclipsed anything a partner in the past had done for him and he couldn’t even process it.

“Now—where were we?” Patrick asked, carefully crawling back upward, letting his body press flush against David’s again. He propped himself up on his forearms on either side of David’s head and David noticed he looked nervous. One hand gently carded through his dark hair, encouraging curls to spring free from their coifed form. David could feel Patrick’s heartbeat rabbiting in his abdomen.

“Are you ok?” David breathed, concentrating on Patrick’s face. Patrick was focused on the hand in David’s hair, watching the ringlets twirl around his fingers over and over. He was quiet for a long moment.

“Yep.” He answered, his voice slightly raspy. “I’m just taking stock. I just—I really want to remember this. And when I really want to remember something, I have this whole mental process I go through.” He lowered himself to kiss the side of David’s jaw where it met his neck. David gave him a small smile and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. To his delight, Patrick was blushing again.

“Yeah. I had real trouble remembering things that happened to me as a kid and when I was in college, my therapist taught me a method. Basically, you just take time to concentrate on each of the five senses in turn to create the whole picture. It works for me.”

David imagined Patrick taking mental notes about their evening so that he could lock the night away in his memory forever and he thought his heart might burst with fondness. He worked his arms up from Patrick’s sides to hold his face and pulled him into a kiss. Patrick’s body instantly softened and relaxed against his mouth and the hand in David’s hair took a firmer grasp. The light pressure on David’s scalp sent a shock down his spine that reawakened his arousal which had flagged in the presence of such vulnerability. He moaned into the kiss as Patrick hand’s gave another tug, more aggressive this time, and was suddenly very aware of Patrick hard against the softness of his belly.

“Hi.” He whispered as they broke apart.

“Hi.” Patrick answered, voice thick with need.

“How do you feel about taking off your shirt?” David asked, screwing his mouth to one side. Patrick’s eyes flickered.

“Strongly in favor.”

David playfully shimmied underneath Patrick as he pushed himself up, straddling David’s hips, and went to work on his buttons. The more he unfastened, the more flushed skin he revealed, to David’s utter delight. By the time he shrugged the shirt off his shoulders and let it fall on the bed, everything between his eyes and his bellybutton was bright pink. When he finally raised his gaze to meet David’s, he gave an impossibly sweet smile and looked away again.

“This is just a thing that happens when I get...excited.” He mumbled, gesturing to his rosy countenance.

“Well lucky for you, I find it very attractive, endearing and flattering.” David smirked as he laid back, drinking Patrick in.

Patrick’s shoulders were broad and his chest was well muscled with a sparse layer of auburn hair, torso trim at the waist. He had the perfect ratio of softness to definition and his nipples were immaculate dark pink buds. David couldn’t resist catching one between the crease of his middle and ring finger and tweaking it slightly as he ran his hands up Patrick’s chest. Patrick gave a little gasp as it responded to the attention. David could see goosebumps prickle on his skin in the warm light of the bedside lamp.

“Ah yes.” Patrick muttered, sarcastically. “What everyone dreams of being called in bed—endearing.”

“Take the compliment, Patrick.” David murmured before rubbing both nipples hard with his thumbs as he traced down Patrick’s body. He watched enraptured as Patrick gasped and then bit his lip, humming in a low register and closing his eyes, unconsciously bucking against David’s stomach. David ground up to meet him.

“ _Jesus, David_.”

It was barely a breathed whisper but it shot straight to David’s cock. He felt his mouth water and his breathing hitch.

“You are so pretty, Patrick.”

Patrick tried to laugh but it came out as a strangled groan as David rolled his hips up again.

“Are you gonna meet me halfway here, David? Or were you planning on driving me completely insane before you even take your shirt off?”

Patrick’s hands began to wander underneath the hem of his sweater and David unconsciously winced, feeling suddenly exposed. Patrick, the button he is, noticed immediately.

“Is this not ok?”

“No, no–it’s fine.” David rushed, starting to rake his sweater up over his stomach. Patrick sat back on his knees again, still breathing heavy.

“David, no matter how much I may want to, I’m not going to do anything you’re not 100% comfortable with.”

Because of course he was perfect like that.

“Patrick, I should be saying that to you.”

“Yet here we are.” Patrick gave his upside down smile. “And I’m still uncomfortably interested.” He said, gesturing to his denim clad erection, the tips of his ears the reddest David had ever seen them.

David's eyes and throat burned. Where did this man come from? And what did David do in which life to deserve him? Blinking hard, he pushed himself up so that Patrick was straddling his lap and looked him straight in the eye as he peeled off his sweater. Before the sleeves left his shoulders he felt Patrick tugging it off the rest of the way, pulling it between them. When his head emerged, he watched in disbelief as Patrick folded the sweater carefully and leaned over to set it on the seat of his desk chair.

“Who are you?” David exclaimed, gesticulating wildly.

“I just know we have to be careful with your knits.”

Patrick cracked a big smile and then pulled him in for a kiss. It had been enough of a distraction for David to forget that he was shirtless in front of Patrick for the first time, but that fact resurfaced with a vengeance as he felt Patrick run his hands down his chest and push him back into the pillow. He wrapped his arms around his stomach protectively.

Patrick sat back and just looked at David underneath him, perfect pink mouth pulled into an ‘O’. The air was electric and the intensity of his gaze made David’s cock throb. He simultaneously hated and loved being watched.

“God, David.” Patrick was almost purring and David noted in disbelief that he was palming his own erection through his jeans. “I’ve thought about this since the day I met you and you’re so much better than I ever could have imagined. Just look at you. I can’t believe I’ve been missing this.” Patrick’s hand rubbed in small, discreet circles over his pants. David’s breath caught in his throat as he surveyed the scene hungrily.

“God. I’ve never been this horny in my life. It’s embarrassing.” Patrick shook his head, raking the other hand over his face. “Also, I hate the word horny.”

David moved his hands to Patrick’s hips and allowed himself to languidly thrust up against him again. His head was cloudy with want and all he could think about was Patrick alone in his bed, back arching off this very mattress, David’s name on his lips as he came. God, he wanted to see that face as Patrick fell into bliss. David looked up at him, his eyes heavy lidded with desire, noticing how Patrick glowed in the warm light.

“Do you think about me when you touch yourself, Patrick?”

David let his right hand skate up the planes of Patrick’s torso to once again tweak a nipple. He rolled it between his fingers, watching it pebble and flush deeper. Patrick let out another low hum, grabbing David’s wrist with his free hand and tracing the thin skin on the inside with his thumb. He suddenly looked incredibly shy.

“What do you think?” His voice sounded small and far away.

The truth was David thought about it a lot. He honestly found the idea of Patrick discovering his sexuality through fantasies about him wildly erotic. He had found his way into David’s head on numerous occasions during certain long, semi-shameful showers back at the motel, one hand braced against the slick tile wall and the other stroking himself through a surprisingly powerful orgasm, considering the setting.

“I think about you.”

Patrick’s mouth dropped open at that admission and David used the stunned silence of the moment to roll them into opposite positions, Patrick pinned on the bed underneath him, looking up. David leaned in to kiss him again, pressing their chests together and relishing in the electric heat. He felt Patrick’s hands slide down his back and come to rest gingerly on his ass.

“Excuse me, Mr. Brewer–you’re getting very handsy.” David teased, propping himself up, his hands bracketing Patrick’s head. Patrick blinked up at him, feigning innocence, and then fucking squeezed, digging his fingers into the meat of David’s glutes. David yelped in surprise.

“Two can play at that game.” He smirked and ground down again, holding one of Patrick’s hips for leverage. Patrick tipped his head up, mouth partially open, his eyes rolling back as his grip on David tightened. David leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“I think about doing this, but with less cotton-poly blend between us.”

To David’s delight, he felt Patrick shaking underneath him as another groaned laugh bubbled up from his belly. Smiling, he tugged an earlobe into his mouth, sucking gently, and then sat himself back up, scooting off Patrick and kneeling between his opened legs. He put his large hands on Patrick’s knees and slowly slid them upwards until they rested at the joints of his hips. Grinning crookedly, David pantomimed unbuttoning his jeans.

“Patrick, may I?”

Patrick swallowed, wide-eyed, wet his lips with his perfect little tongue and nodded, but as David eagerly fingered the button fly, he reached down and grabbed his wrist.

“Slow. I want to keep this memory too.”

David closed his eyes and pulled his lips into his mouth, inhaling deeply. His throat felt tight again.

“M’kay—you’re going to have to stop making me cry if you ever want me to get your pants off.”

Patrick laughed wetly as David got back to work and began to gently tug Patrick’s jeans down his hips to his thighs. David bit his lower lip as he revealed navy boxer briefs, pink skin blossoming around them. He looked up at Patrick and Patrick blinked softly, mouth slightly open. Taking stock. Neither acknowledged Patrick’s erection—they had plenty of time.

David was not used to moving this slowly, both in the literal and figurative sense. Many—most—of his “encounters” with other partners started with getting as naked as possible as fast as possible in as dark a room as possible. Vulnerability of light and eye contact was rarely on the table for him. Now, in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, peeling Patrick’s jeans off inch by agonizing inch, David was practicing his own self control.

Finally—finally—David pulled the denim over Patrick’s socked feet and took a minute to fold them as well. He stood up, placing them on top of his sweater on Patrick’s chair, and then casually began to shuck off his own jeans, which were considerably tighter and more distressed.

“David, you just set my cotton-poly blend on your cashmere.” Patrick commented in mock surprise.

David rolled his eyes and climbed back on the bed, straddling Patrick again. The removal of the extra layers between their bodies was immediately and wonderfully apparent.

“We do what we have to do.”

David sighed as he let his hips sink into Patrick, straddling his groin in a way that made him equal parts wild and terrified. Patrick hungrily ran his hands up David’s thick thighs, covered with shiny dark hair, eyes devouring him completely and getting lost somewhere between his belly button and the hems of his boxer briefs. It was David’s turn to flush which he knew made him look aggressively wanton; he’d always had a dramatic complexion.

“Are you still making a memory?” David murmured, hand casually stroking his erection over his underwear.

Patrick inhaled slowly and blinked, shutting his eyes. He nodded.

“Yes. I’m feeling your weight on me.”

“Wow, I’m sorry–what?”

Patrick winced and shook his head.

“Not like that David.”

He opened his eyes again and looked down at his hands on David’s thighs.

“Sometimes I like to close my eyes and think about your weight on my body. What it would be like to hold it completely. Like–what it would be like to feel that weight...everywhere.”

Patrick swallowed, his eyes flickering back up to David’s and David couldn’t help but give a wicked grin.

“Patrick, are you...talking dirty to me?”

“You asked if I think about you. I’m just answering your question.”

David leaned in again, a couple inches away from Patrick’s face.

“I think your answer means that you think about fucking me.” He purred, his voice low and husky.

“Is that what I said?” Patrick tried to tease but his voice was too thick with need. Instead, it sounded like a distinct confirmation of David’s inference. One of David’s hands came up to rest in his short, neat hair, his thumb brushing through it comfortingly.

“I’m doing a speed check-in—how are we?”

“I’m hanging in there.”

Patrick closed the gap between them, hand holding the side of David’s face, his surprisingly soft lips open against David’s mouth. Their tongues slipped against each other languidly as he rested his other hand at the base of David’s spine. His pinky reached down to brush over the cleft of David’s ass carefully, eliciting an involuntary shudder from the man pressed against him. Patrick’s cock gave a twitch of approval and his pinky wandered again over the back of David’s briefs, sliding assuredly between his cheeks to hook slightly at his tail bone. The pressure of his fingertip was unrelenting. David chuckled to himself and began to move his hips against Patrick in slow clockwise circles, their cocks rubbing together agonizingly through thin fabric. Patrick gave a heady sigh as their lips broke apart and turned his face to the side, mouth open and eyes shut, chin tilted up in abandon as David rocked against him.

It was easily one of the most captivating things David had ever witnessed. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, watching awestruck as each hitch of his hips was echoed by the furrow of Patrick’s soft brow.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, bringing his hand down from Patrick’s hair to the side of his face and neck, thumb stroking the line of his jaw gently. He could feel Patrick’s pulse hot against the inside of his wrist. “Tell me what you need.”

Patrick turned his head to plant a kiss on David’s hand.

“Please touch me.” His voice was low and strangled.

Finally. _Finally._

“Absolutely.” He breathed. As he pushed up, he planted kisses down Patrick’s neck to his chest, grazing his teeth on his right nipple. Coming to sit between his alabaster thighs, hands massaging them gently, David drank Patrick in—cock hard, chest heaving, eyes still closed.

“Honey, open.” David gently pinched the inside of Patrick’s left thigh, earning a beautiful hiss. “You’re going to want to remember this too.”

When he met David’s gaze again, David couldn’t look away. Patrick was undone. Even the whites of his eyes were flushed under his heavy, heavy lids and his perfect lips were red and swollen. Maintaining eye contact, David raised his left hand to his mouth and slowly swiped his long tongue across his palm. At the same time, he tucked his right hand under Patrick’s elastic waistband and eased his boxer briefs down slowly and carefully, intentionally letting Patrick’s heavy, beautiful cock slap against his stomach. It was dark pink, incredibly hard and perfect and David’s mouth watered when he finally saw it. He was a vision, from socked feet all the way to the one elbow he had tucked behind his head as he watched David. Inhaling shakily, David wrapped his wet hand around Patrick’s base and Patrick actually moaned, still holding David’s heated gaze.

“I know I’ve told you this already, but god you are so fucking pretty, Patrick.”

Patrick just barely wiggled his hips and his cock jumped in David’s grip. Still watching his face, enraptured, David moved his hand up Patrick’s length to thumb at its wet head, his other hand bracing against Patrick’s thigh. Patrick hummed, clutching at the sheets by his side as he watched David touch him with unbridled desire. Setting a rhythm, David began to wetly strip Patrick’s cock, focusing on every small, perfect noise he made, and Patrick’s free hand moved to the beautiful, pink flesh of his bare hip, thumb tracing small circles over the skin there. Finally touching Patrick like this was heaven, but now that he was here, spread out underneath David like a present, David’s desire to completely take him apart was overwhelming. His mouth watered again.

“Patrick, can I taste you?”

For a terrifying moment, David could feel Patrick tense under him. He wondered if he’d just pushed too far—Patrick was a good person after all. What good people are as sexually aggressive and simultaneously as needy as David?

Patrick squeezed the hand David had braced against his thigh.

_“Please.”_

David’s brain was on fire as he worked Patrick’s boxer briefs the rest of the way over his thighs and off his legs, and then, except for his socks, Patrick was naked.

Patrick was naked.

He shifted his body between Patrick’s thighs, pushing himself back with his stomach flat against the bed, feet hanging off the end, thrilling at the friction his hips against the mattress provided. Patrick did his best to wiggle up towards the headboard to give David more room, propping himself up on a second pillow; the fact that this adjustment also happened to give him a better view of what was happening between his legs was purely circumstantial.

David absentmindedly let his hands massage large circles up and down Patrick’s muscular quads, thick from years of squatting at home plate, as he contemplated his next move. Patrick’s eyes flickered between David’s hands and his face, and he moved the hand on his hip down to give a light tug on his balls before it circled and squeezed the base of his thick shaft. David bit his lip, trying to keep his cool as he watched Patrick touch himself. He leaned in closer, his mouth hovering over Patrick’s cock tantalizingly, and let himself exhale softly over the sensitive tip. In a move that both shocked and electrified David, Patrick angled his thumb on his shaft, pushing his erection down to meet David’s mouth. Face wanton, he rubbed the glistening head of his cock slowly across David’s lower lip and David ground himself into the mattress with abandon, painfully aroused. Patrick cleared his throat and spoke, voice deep and husky.

“You know I’m a take-charge kind of guy, David.”

David nodded slightly, eyes eager, careful to keep his lips where they were. His head spun with the delightful surprise that Patrick “Take-Charge” Brewer had made an appearance in bed. That was definitely something they’d need to...explore further, he thought, as he ground into the mattress again, letting his tongue slip from between his lips and flatten firmly against the underside of Patrick’s cock. Never looking away from Patrick’s face, he traced upwards, the tip pushing into the slit and laving around the head, lazily, before he pulled in as much of Patrick as he could. He felt Patrick’s thighs tighten as he let out a low hiss. David hummed, satisfied, and then swallowed around him, taking him in and out of his mouth smoothly. Patrick’s hips bucked and David took the opportunity to slide his left hand underneath Patrick’s back, digging his fingers into the meat of his incredible ass.

“Fuck.”

It was the first time David had ever heard polite, patient, buttoned-up Patrick curse and it knocked him breathless.

“That’s right, baby. Just let go.” David soothed, nuzzling his face into the neat auburn hair at the base of Patrick’s cock and breathing him in, his other hand working the shaft expertly. Patrick was still watching him intently, his jaw clenching and unclenching with the rhythm David had established.

“Give me your mouth.” Patrick looked wild, but his voice was low and calm.

“Mhm. Yep.”

Sucking cock was something David had always enjoyed, but Patrick was next level—the weight on his tongue, his velvety softness, the salty headiness of his precum. David took his time tracing the vein on the underside, pulling him all the way in, swirling against his base. As he lost himself in the sensation, David felt a hand weave into his hair, tugging just slightly. He squeezed Patrick’s ass in response, smiling around his cock as Patrick gave a groaned chuckle, tugging harder on his dark curls. It was David’s turn to moan then, which he did, the vibration driving Patrick wild. Patrick began to roll his hips upward as he came undone and David matched his rhythm with his mouth.

“David, I’m close.” Patrick panted, fingers raking through his hair frantically.

David kept the pace, squeezing Patrick’s ass with one hand and running his other up Patrick’s stomach to his chest, tweaking a nipple and then rubbing it as it pebbled beneath his thumb. He could feel the tension in Patrick’s body bubbling over.

With a choked sob, Patrick came, spilling into David’s hungry and waiting mouth. David swallowed, humming happily as he looked up at Patrick’s gorgeous, spent face. He carefully pulled off of Patrick’s softening, sensitive cock and rested his chin on his hip, fingers lightly stroking the delicate skin just below his bellybutton. Patrick’s chest heaved with effort as he weakly pet David’s head.

They were silent a long moment and David tried to ignore how painfully hard he was, instead replaying the noise Patrick made when he came over and over again. Patrick was still running his fingers through David’s hair. His eyes were closed and David could feel that his heart was still beating rapidly.

“You ok?” David asked, pressing a chaste kiss to Patrick’s left hip.

“I knew you had a sloppy mouth.”

Patrick opened one eye and grinned down at David, who playfully pinched the sensitive skin on the inside of his thigh, making him yelp.

“Come up here.” He patted the empty space on the pillow next to him lazily. David crawled up his body to lay next to him and Patrick rolled on his side, pulling David towards him for a kiss.

“I’m not sure you want to kiss me after what I just did.” David said, wincing at memories of similar situations going awry.

“Shut up.”

Patrick’s voice was somehow still heavy with desire as his lips met David’s. The kiss was slow and languorous, their tongues sliding against each other seamlessly. David would have been happy to die in that moment.

“We taste good together.” Patrick murmured as they broke apart. He lightly grazed David’s impressive, brief clad erection with the back of his hand. “Don’t think I forgot about you.”

David bit his lip, thinking for a minute.

“I have an idea. Lay on your back again before I lose my nerve.”

Patrick groaned but did as he was told and David moved to straddle him, knees on either side of his bellybutton.

“Do you have any lube?”

Patrick nodded, struggling to pull himself to the edge of the bed under David’s weight. He retrieved a small bottle from the top drawer of the bedside table and pressed it into David’s palm. David opened it, coated his hand and then set it back down on the sheets next to them. Slowly, he slid his hand down his chest and stomach and into his boxer briefs, grabbing his leaking cock and giving it a too gentle squeeze. Patrick cleared his throat and gripped David’s thighs, the flush returning to his face, lighting up the whites of his eyes.

“You can watch. And if you’re really good, I’ll let you help.”

Patrick looked downright hedonistic staring up at David, and David had surprised even himself. Where was this coming from? Only earlier this evening, he’d hid under the scrutiny of Patrick’s gentle gaze and now he was calling the shots?

Patrick makes him brave.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled the waistband of his underwear down his thighs, letting it catch just underneath his ass. His cock finally sprang free and the release from the constricted blood flow made him hiss with relief as he began to stroke himself. Poor Patrick was a mess.

“David.” He breathed, his eyelids fluttering as he watched David touch himself leisurely, fingers pulsing on David’s thighs. Arousal licked at his insides again. “David you’re gorgeous.”

“Do you think so?” David looked down at him under heavy lidded eyes, a slight smile on his lips. Patrick nodded, his mouth hanging open.

“Do you want to know what I think about when I touch myself?”

He was really putting on a show now, the hand not fisting his cock playing with his darkened nipples, running over his chest and stomach, waking every nerve ending. Patrick nodded again. David put his hand on Patrick’s cheek, rubbing his sweet bottom lip with his thumb before pushing inside his mouth.

“I think about your hot, perfect mouth on me. I think about fucking your face until you can’t breathe. I think about eating your ass and fingering you until you cry. I thinking about making you cum without touching your cock. I think about you fucking me with that incredible cock and the way it’d feel if you came inside me. And I think about fucking you, what it would be like deep inside your perfect ass. What it’d be like with the backs of your thighs against my chest. Or feeling your ass against the front of my thighs.”

Patrick swirled his tongue around the soft pad of David’s thumb as he massaged up his thighs, kneading at the flesh right below where his briefs had been pulled down. He was humming long and low, listening to David speak his truth with wide eyes, still perfectly, deliciously flushed. David thrust up to meet his hand, thumbing over the head of his cock, smearing precum back down the shaft. He wet his lips.

“You’re so good, Patrick. You’re consistent. You’re on time. You make rules and you follow them. You make spreadsheets.”

David pressed his thumb firmly against Patrick’s tongue, grabbing his lower jaw and Patrick bared down on his finger in response.

“I want to break you.”

At those words, Patrick sighed around David’s thumb and moved his hands to cup David’s bare ass, squeezing hard. His fingertips teased at both sides of the cleft, sending electricity up David’s spine. He knew Patrick was too fresh to encourage him to slide a finger inside, but he could definitely imagine it. He ramped up his pace, pulling his other hand away from Patrick’s face and bringing it down to cup his balls, rolling them gently as he continued to jack his cock. He let out a long, low moan, feeling the heat build deliciously at his base. Patrick’s eyes jumped between David’s hands, each busy providing pleasure, and his face, still watching Patrick hungrily. He cleared his throat.

“David I want you to come on me.”

It was David’s turn to blush as he gave an uncharacteristically demure nod of his head, surprised by Patrick’s brazen request. He was, quite frankly, infinitely pleased by the amount of times he’d been surprised over the course of the evening. Patrick was one big, endless epiphany whose layers he loved uncovering. He was close now, his hand stuttering slightly as his pleasure built in almost unbearable waves. Patrick moved one hand around from his ass to join David’s on his cock. David relinquished control, hands on his thighs, as Patrick’s warm, calloused fingers enveloped him and picked up the pace where he left off.

“You’re so good Patrick. You’re so good.” He trailed off, his lips echoing ‘so good’ over and over, gaze bouncing between Patrick’s strong hand on his cock and his dark, desperate eyes boring into him. All at once, the pressure building in the back of his head burst and he was coming hard, spurting hot over Patrick’s stomach, whimpering sinfully.

Patrick worked his hand through David’s orgasm and then gently pulled away. David watched with hot, aching pleasure as Patrick traced a lazy finger through the mess on his belly and brought it to his mouth, eyes never leaving David’s face. He hummed happily at the sensation of David’s release on his tongue, flashing him an impossibly sweet grin.

“I threw you a bit of a change-up there, huh?”

“You’re unbelievable.” David managed to choke out as he dismounted Patrick’s hips, rolling off to the side, head back on the pillow next to Patrick. His chest was heaving. Patrick turned to look at him and David pulled him in to a lazy, sloppy kiss.

“Well. That was the hottest thing that has ever happened to me.” Patrick said, matter-of-factly, placing a hand behind his head, his gorgeous tricep on display. David drank him in again—body flushed, mouth swollen, nipples still hard. He cringed as he remembered his cum was cooling on Patrick’s belly and made to sit up.

“Do you have any tissues?”

Patrick put a hand on his chest, pushing him back down and then reached in the other direction to the bedside table, hand reappearing holding a Kleenex box. He pressed a gentle kiss to David’s shoulder.

“I’ve got it, David. Relax.”

He carefully cleaned his stomach and shakily stood to throw the used tissues away. As he got back in bed, he pulled the blanket folded at the foot for especially chilly nights over them both. Once again, David’s eyes burned. He felt cared for in the most painfully perfect way; all these little acts of service suffocated his insecurity. Patrick’s hand came to rest on his hip over the blanket.

“Are you ok?” He asked softly. His eyes were big and warm and David wanted to sleep in them. David nodded unconvincingly.

“Are you?”

“I’m perfect, David.” Patrick gave a small smile. He moved his hand to rest on the side of David’s face. “I honestly just can’t believe you are here in my bed right now. I’ve wanted this since the day I met you.”

David’s heart leaped into his throat again and he swallowed hard.

“Technically, we are both in Ray’s bed. So.” His eyes danced as he gave his crooked grin, shimmying a little underneath the blanket.

“Bite your tongue.” Patrick chuckled, leaning in for another kiss, hand migrating from his cheek to the nape of David’s neck, running through the hair there and tugging it lightly between his fingers.

“Should we maybe get under the covers?” David asked. He cringed, hating how presumptuous he had just sounded. “Or–sorry–did you want me to leave...?”

Patrick actually looked hurt.

“David.” He breathed as he stroked the side of David’s neck with his thumb, his eyes wide and wet. “Of course I want you to stay.”

David burrowed in the blanket up to his chin, wishing he could disappear.

“It’s just. I don’t know. I’m a-I’m a lot. It’s ok if you need a break.”

Patrick tilted his head, brow furrowed and let the hand on David’s neck move down to his waist, pulling David closer to him under the blanket. David reluctantly scooted towards him, avoiding his gaze.

“I like that you’re a lot.”

Patrick folded David into him, his head nestled in the sweet space under Patrick’s chin, Patrick’s arms around his body, fingers intertwined over his bare waist. He pressed an absentminded kiss to David’s forehead.

“You challenge me.” He murmured against the skin there. David closed his eyes and allowed himself to be held, his weight on Patrick’s bare chest. They laid that way for a long moment until Patrick squeezed David’s hand.

“Okay if we don’t get up and get under the sheets now, we never will.”

He started wiggling his way out from under David.

“Don’t move.” He smiled. “I can work around you.”

David watched in admiration as Patrick bravely exited the warmth and safety of the blanket. His muscular body was strong and supple in the low light. David admired the slope of his shoulders and confident bulge of his arms, the sweeping planes of his chest and the flushed skin of his soft cock which still looked heavy with arousal. That all sat atop thick, sturdy thighs that David imagined squeezed on either side of his head.

“It’s not polite to stare, David.”

Patrick winked at him before turning towards his dresser, finally flashing a good view of his perfect ass. David bit his lip as his eyes followed Patrick’s spine down to the dip of his lower back, two defined dimples resting above two perfectly round, thick, impossibly perky cheeks. David didn’t believe in organized sports but there was something to say for what they could do to a body. As Patrick slid on a clean pair of boxer briefs, David marveled at how they clung to him.

“My eyes are up here.” Patrick teased as he turned and noticed David’s gaze. To David’s delight, Patrick gave a little bounce of his ass and then winked.

“Just enjoying the view.” David grinned cheekily, still burritoed in the blanket.

Patrick turned back to the bed and began to fold down the sheets on the side he’d been laying on.

“Scooch this way.” He directed, patting the warm impression his body had made. David inched over to the spot in his blanket cocoon. Patrick pulled the covers back over him and then held out a hand.

“Blanket?”

Feeling considerably warmer and more secure under Patrick’s sheets and comforter, David relinquished the blanket peacefully, which Patrick took and folded at the foot of the bed again.

“Ok scooch back to your side. I’m freezing.”

David smiled and raised the sheets slightly.

“Come on in. The water’s fine.”

Patrick blushed at the sight of David’s naked body but eagerly climbed in, pressing himself against David once again. David scooted slightly so they were in the middle of the bed and yelped as Patrick’s cold toes found the side of his leg.

“How did your feet get so cold so quickly? You were literally out of bed for three minutes.”

“It’s the hardwoods. Much better than having carpet with old foot skin in it, but they get really cold.”

“I’m sorry—,” David dry heaved, propping himself up on an elbow and raising an eyebrow at Patrick. “Old foot skin?!”

“Yeah, David. Think about it; if you buy a house and it has carpet already, there’s a 100% guarantee someone else’s old foot skin is in it.”

Patrick rested a hand on David’s hip on top of the comforter again.

“I don’t even want to think about the volume of foot skin in the motel carpet.”

“Oh my god. Okay.” David rolled his eyes and put a hand on Patrick’s chest. “Very uninterested in continuing this conversation.”

“So what would you like to talk about instead?” Patrick asked, once again placing one hand behind his head, looking like a Roman statue in repose. David moved the hand on Patrick’s chest to trace over a scar cutting into the edge of his left eyebrow.

“What happened here?” He asked.

“Mm. Ice hockey when I was 10. One of my friends smacked me in the face with a stick. I played for a couple more hours before I went home and my mom saw it. She was....not happy.”

“Well that’s dumb and adorable. It makes you look very dashing.” David shook his head slightly as he said “very” to emphasize the point.

“What about you—do you have any scars?” Patrick asked.

David laid his head back down on Patrick’s shoulder, nestling under his chin cozily.

“Mmmm no big ones to mention.” David shook his head, chewing the inside of his lip. “I was pretty much an anxious wreck as a child and also never made much of a foray into organized sports so that protected me from what I’m sure would’ve been inevitable injuries. Most of my scars are emotional, not physical.” He gave a brief laugh, closed his eyes and mentally accosted himself. Way to keep it light and conversational.

“Sorry.” He added, sarcastically. “I’m so fun in bed.”

He could feel Patrick studying his face carefully from above, where he rest propped on a pillow.

“I find you _very_ fun in bed.”

He squeezed David’s hip lightly and then let his hand fall to gently cup his ass.

“You know I like it when you tell me things, right? Like—I like learning things about you.”

David’s heart leapt to his throat again. He cleared it shakily and gave a low hum.

“Well, traditionally, the more people learn about me, the less interested they become.” He said haltingly.

A single hot tear slipped out of the corner of his right eye and hit Patrick’s chest. Fuck. He winced as Patrick’s hand came up from around his hip to swipe at the salty drop on his skin and felt Patrick’s head shift so that his mouth was buried in David’s mussed curls.

“I want to know you.” He murmured against the dark strands, breathing David in, exhaling hot on the back of David’s neck. “I want to know you.”

Those five words sang straight into David’s soul. Warmth blossomed deep in his stomach and he gave a gasped sigh of satisfaction. He felt Patrick’s fingers thread into his hair and pull, softly stroking the skin at the nape of his neck.

“I’m not a one-night stand kind of guy David. Not that there’s anything wrong with that—I’ve just never been able to connect that way. I have a hard time getting...excited when I’m touching someone and I don’t feel like I want to know them. It means I haven’t slept with a lot of people, but I hope it’s also a quality vs quantity scenario.”

He raked through David’s hair again, taking another deep breath. David felt him clench and unclench the hand resting behind his head.

“But I’ve never wanted to…know anyone as badly as I want to know you. It’s really thrown me for a loop.”

With a laugh he shook his head. His hand dropped to scratch up and down David’s back, lightly.

“This is part of my deal—the intimacy. You have to let me know you.”

David discretely wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat again, nestling deeper into the crook of Patrick’s neck. He yawned dramatically.

“I am sure we can negotiate terms.”

He could hear the smile in Patrick’s voice.

“Okay, David.” 

* * *

When David opened his eyes again, it was dark and it took him a moment to remember where he was. He grimaced, thinking of countless occasions in New York where he woke with a similar lack of information and a much darker realization. He had dozed off after they had gotten under the covers and Patrick hadn’t woken him which was very incorrect, seeing as he had neither brushed his teeth nor done his exceptionally complicated Korean skincare regimen, but at least here, no one was kicking him out of bed and down the fire escape before their chef husband got home.

He let himself relax again and smiled to himself as he felt comforting hot breath at the nape of his neck and noticed the weight of a limp arm draped over his waist, its hand lightly resting on his stomach. He was struck at how familiar the role of big spoon was to Patrick’s body and wondered how recently Patrick had pressed himself against someone else like this. Someone he wanted to know.

Patrick twitched in his sleep, fingers dancing slightly below his bellybutton and David let himself grab Patrick’s hand, overlapping their palms on his stomach. He felt the body behind him shift sleepily and then pull him in tighter. “Mmmrach.” Patrick mumbled, squeezing David to him. “S’cold.”

He felt Patrick’s forehead rest between the tops of his shoulder blades, head slipping off the pillow and he wondered if the last person Patrick pressed up against still loved him. If she still thought about Patrick’s careful words, strong hands, warm eyes. If she missed his smile and his annoyingly uncanny ability to tease about basically anything—It was a love language, David had decided.

Patrick snorted softly behind him, starting David out of his reverie. As he eased himself back to close the gap between his spine and Patrick’s chest, he felt a tell-tale firm warmth against his ass. He smiled and wiggled slightly, closing his eyes again. That could wait until morning.

* * *

When he woke up a second time, sun was streaming in the window to the right of Patrick’s bed. It seemed late and he was completely alone in the room. His heart sank as he propped up on an elbow to look at the clock. 8:28. Patrick had probably already left for the store, alone. As he began to anxiety spiral he heard a small knock and turned to see the door open slightly, Patrick just slipping through it, fully dressed and holding a mug in one hand. He beamed at David.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

Perching on the bed next to David, he kissed his temple and let him sit up before handing him the mug.

“Coffee. It’s nothing fancy but at least it has caffeine.”

David smiled nervously down into the cup and then looked back up at Patrick.

“Um. Thanks so much. Sorry I just woke up.”

Patrick shook his head and put a hand on David’s knee over the comforter.

“Don’t worry about it—I wanted you to get some sleep. I’m just about to leave for the store—take your time here and come in when you’re ready to talk to people that aren’t me.”

David rolled his eyes.

“Well that is very generous of you.”

“It’s more for our customers’ sakes than anything.” Patrick smirked, squeezing David’s thigh just above his knee. “And just an FYI—Ray’s first client meeting is at 8:45 this morning so you’re absolutely going to walk through at least one on your way out. He knows you spent the night but I figured you deserve fair warning.”

David pulled a face, taking another sip from the mug.

“Perfect.”

Patrick’s hand slid up his thigh—and up and up and up—until it was somewhere decidedly more purposeful. He leaned in and kissed David full and hard on the mouth, tongue teasing his bottom lip. David sank into the kiss until Patrick pulled away suddenly, giving his semi-hard cock a gentle squeeze.

“Okay I actually do need to go though if I’m going to open on time, so are you okay? Do you need anything?” He winked at David.

“Tease.” David muttered under his breath and then cleared his throat. “This is more than enough. Thank you. I owe you an opening.”

Patrick stood up and bent to kiss David on the side of the head again before he made his way to the bedroom door.

“Well we both know that’s not going to happen.”

David didn’t even bother arguing.

* * *

“Come back and see us.” Patrick calls from the register and the girls with the lip balms giggle a response.

When the door shuts, they are finally alone again. David folds his arms over each other and rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet.

“So.” He says, lips drawn into a crooked smile.

“So.” Patrick echoes, coming out from behind the counter, eyes dancing. “How did the morning at Ray’s go?”

“Moderately well, thanks. I was able to sneak out during a particularly artsy portrait session with a minimal amount of small talk.”

Patrick is making his way over to David and every step has his heart beating a bit faster.

“I had a lot of fun last night.” He reaches out to grab David’s hips and presses a chaste kiss on his mouth. “You are an excellent sleepover guest.”

“Yes, yes. I’ve been told that I fill a bed nicely.” David smiles again, a hand flat on the center of Patrick’s chest.

“Be honest—did you snoop when I left?”

David scoffs.

“Snoop what? You own approximately 20 items and they all are either sitting out on your dresser, on your desk or on your bedside table.” David gesticulates, indicating his indignation. Patrick furrows his brow playfully. If David is telling the truth, he likes that about Patrick. He lays his cards out. Obviously not saying Patrick doesn’t have his own secrets and private things, but he also doesn’t seem to be one to go out of his way to hide things either.

“I’m pretty sure the lube was _in_ the bedside table though.”

“And thank goodness for that.” David smiles against Patrick’s mouth, pulling him in to another kiss. “Also, I do my best not to snoop because honestly it hasn’t worked out in my favor in the past and I’d rather someone tell me things on their own terms than me find something out by being a shady human being.”

“That’s very honorable of you.”

“Yes well. It’s also a bit of self-preservation, but I do what I can.”

David folds his arms again as Patrick pulls their bodies together. He can feel Patrick’s belt buckle brushing against the hardware of his jeans and gives him a Look.

“What?” Patrick asks innocently, eyes betraying him as usual, letting one thumb hook under the waistband of David’s boxer briefs as he squeezes his hips.

“You know perfectly well what, but I’m going to ignore it because I didn’t get to wash my face last night and I need you to help me apply under eye cream.”

He gestures to the tester in his outstretched hand. Patrick pushes him back against the edge of the counter, torso pressed against his.

“Up.” He says gently, slightly lifting at David’s waist, coaxing him upward to sit on the table. He moves to stand between his knees, holding the tester in one hand.

“Just little dabs with the soft part of your fingertip.” David instructs. “The last thing I need is more wrinkles there.”

“David you literally have no wrinkles. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Shhh. Just focus.” David’s eyes drop to Patrick’s as he applies the cream with the same precision and concentration that he applies to everything in his life. It makes his knees weak.

“I’ve decided I’m willing to accept your terms.” David says, studying his face and then looking away again. He notices Patrick’s shoulders soften slightly.

“Oh?” Patrick is barely breathing, as if he’s worried he’ll scare David off, still concentrating on the delicate skin he’s applying the cream to.

“Yes. So I’m going to tell you something about me.”

Patrick says nothing, his face still carefully guarded.

“Do you remember that photographer that came to take pictures of my mom? Sebastien Raine?” David rolls his eyes back, tilting his chin up, and then closes them and takes a deep breath. “He’s an ex.”

Another deep breath. He feels Patrick shift his weight between his legs.

“An ex that...used to hit me.”

His eyes are still closed but Patrick has stopped applying the cream. There’s a loud sniff and then Patrick clears his throat. He feels a hand on his thigh above his left knee, squeezing tight.

“David.”

His voice is quiet and even, and David opens his eyes again, tilting his head back down. Patrick’s face is pink and his jaw clenches over and over. The hand not on David’s thigh is curled into a fist at his side, knuckles white. He moves them both to David’s face.

“Thank you.”

It sounds furious, sincere, desperate, aching. And David needs all of it. He pulls himself to the edge of the table and closes the gap between their bodies, Patrick planted firmly between his legs. And then Patrick’s arms are enveloping him, making him feel small and safe. Cared for. Taken care of. And suddenly the weight of that pain isn’t just his weight to carry. It’s theirs. Somehow Patrick even takes in a generous way and it makes David crazy. He feels Patrick’s mouth against his ear.

“I’m sorry, David.”

The sob he was holding back comes out with his face against Patrick’s chest. He takes a second to compose himself before he pulls away.

“Yikes. Okay. We are still in the store and this is 100% my fault.”

He sits back and wipes his eyes, giving a watery laugh and hopping off the table.

“So much for the under eye cream.”

Patrick smiles in that surprisingly sweet, disarming way that makes his knees weak. His arms still bracket David on the table and he cocks his head and leans in so his nose is almost touching David’s.

“You don’t need it.”

He pulls David in to a slow, hot kiss that he can feel in the soles of his feet.

_Ding!_

When they break apart, Patrick smiles, still captivated by David’s mouth. He starts towards the door, towards the customer, and then looks back as he walks away.

“I still want to know you, David Rose.”

David hums to himself, watching Patrick greet the customer, winking as he catches his eye.

He wants to be known.


End file.
